Breaks, holidays and vacations in on the Shannon river, Ireland
Pubs, Restaurants, Accommodation, Activities, Tourism and tourist Amenities.

Boat Hire and Travel Guide to the Shannon River in Ireland.

Boat Hire
All of the cruisers available for hire on the Shannon River in Ireland
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How long to get to...
Approximate cruising times to help you plan your cruise
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Gallery

Photos sent by past clients to help get you in the mood
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Cruising FAQ
Everything you need to know about hiring a cruiser - don't be afraid to ask!
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The village of Shannonbridge is named after the bridge built in 1757 which spanned the river. The village has recently run a small jazz festival, and a vintage car rally and a boat regatta stop in the village during the summer months. The village is close to Clonmacnois, a site world famous for the ancient monastic buildings found there, and is about 8 miles from the town of Athlone.

Shannonbridge has two major attractions – angling and ecology. The peat bogs which surround the village are home to an abundance of flora and fauna, and is preserved as a natural habitat to the now rare corncrake. Also along the river are eskers, which are winding ridges of raised ground caused by melting ice during the Ice Age and were used by early settlers to cross the river. The proximity to the peat bog influenced the building of Irelands largest peat burning power station at Shannonbridge.

History

It’s said that the first town of Shannonbridge was built by the military to protect the ford in the river. The remains of the nineteenth century Napoleonic fortifications found at Shannonbridge are considered to be a unique example of fortifications of the period. They were completed in 1817 at a cost of £30,000. There was originally a lock here, but the Shannon commissioners decided to remove it and dredge a channel in the 1840’s.

This travel guide is available free of charge due to the travel agents commission taken on boat hire services on the river. Feel free to browse the site at your leisure - all we ask is that if you are taking a boating holiday on the Shannon, you book it through the Shannon River web site.